Andrea Pirlo's Injury Could Be a Net Benefit for Juventus

Andrea Pirlo is as legendary a player as they come in Italian soccer. He is a two-time Champions League winner, five-time Italian champion, a hero of the 2006 World Cup victory, has the fourth most caps in the history of the national team and is the only player who isn't a defender or goalkeeper to be honored as a centurion.

While he made his name at AC Milan, his name will go down just as permanently in Juventus' lore. His arrival in tandem with manager Antonio Conte ended the club's post-Calciopoli doldrums and catapulted the team back to the top of Serie A.

It would be reasonable, then, for Juve fans to be severely concerned about his impending absence. The team's official website (h/t Football Italia) confirmed that he will miss three weeks after suffering a calf injury in the Champions League against Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday.

Given the fixtures facing the team in the next three weeks—a potential title decider in Rome, a grudge match against rivals Fiorentina and the return leg in Dortmund—Pirlo's vision and passing prowess will likely be missed. There is, however, a silver lining in this unfortunate circumstance. Indeed, L'architetto's absence may even help the Bianconeri.

The book on Pirlo is that sustained pressure will deny the ability to work his magic. In 2010, Alex Ferguson sticked Park Ji-Sung on Pirlo as a man-marker. Without the time and space to unleash his passes, Pirlo was neutralized, and in turn so was Milan's attack.

This strategy is Dortmund's default against any opponent. They press hard in midfield to force the team to force the mids into rushed passes and mistakes. It's Pirlo's worst nightmare, and he was forced into several uncharacteristic errors before he was withdrawn. To his credit, he responded by pressing right back and regained possession on a few occasions.

Antonio Calanni/Associated Press

When he did leave, he was replaced by Roberto Pereyra. The funny thing was, Juve looked better with the Argentinian on the field.

Pereyra's introduction forced some juggling in the midfield. Claudio Marchisio moved from the flank of the diamond formed by the 4-3-1-2 formation to the regista position normally occupied by Pirlo. Arturo Vidal, originally deployed as trequartista, moved farther back and his place was taken by Pereyra.

These changes had a profound effect on the team. Their play became far more direct. Pereyra used his pace and dribbling ability well behind the strikers and was more effective at linking with Alvaro Morata and Carlos Tevez. He very nearly sealed the tie late on when a shot across the face of goal ghosted past the post.

In moving farther back, Vidal was made more effective. He has always been a poor fit for the trequartista role, and it showed in his performance against Dortmund. He gave the ball away on several occasions and committed more than a few fouls. When dropped back into the midfield, his game improved. Allowed to play his natural position, he was less restricted and could use his defensive skill and endurance to greater effect.

Juve benefits with Pereyra, the much more suited player, playing in the hole behind the strikers and Vidal playing his regular role as a box-to-box midfielder. Marchisio is a world-class player in his own right and has quietly become a great alternative to the regista position. He doesn't share Pirlo's ability to drop a 60-yard pass on a dime in a snow storm, but he can make the passes he needs to and plays the position with greater pace than the older man—a key to breaking Dortmund's press.

The other potential benefit of Pirlo's injury comes from the move down the depth chart.  With Pereyra in the starting lineup, a place opens up for youngster Stefano Sturaro as the first midfielder off the bench.

Sturaro was purchased from Genoa in the summer and immediately loaned back to the Griffone. Faced with potential depth problems in midfield the Bianconeri recalled him early this January. The only other player on the squad who can play in the midfield is Simone Padoin—but Sturaro is already the better option.

The 21-year-old is a midfield bruiser in the mold of Gennaro Gattuso, and is a future fixture in the team's midfield. To get a potential baptism of fire in big fixtures as a reserve could be a major spur in his development.

Pirlo's absence is always difficult to bear. But now his injury could force Massimiliano Allegri to make moves that, if Pirlo were healthy, would be extraordinarily difficult but in the current situation are both obvious and beneficial.

This is especially so against Dortmund, where Pereyra's presence and the realignment that comes with it might be the key to breaking Jurgen Klopp's press and preserve their advantage in the second leg. Pirlo is a key part of any team, but in this particular case, his absence may just force the squad to grow.